Friday, July 18, 2008

JESUS SAID " LEARN OF ME"

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.Matt11:29,30. I think forme there is a sense of relief that Jesus actually said that we could take hisyoke upon us. I also think that there is comfort and joy-assurance thateverything is going to be all right. There is no baggage in Jesus's yoke for us. Itis liberating and free. Jesus then says "learn of me"which of course will takeall eternity, but I did make a personal observation in my walk with God. Truesanctification only takes place when I am learning about Jesus Christ. Afterall, He is the person that saved me and I will be spending all eternity withhim. It is refreshing to take a new look at Jesus Christ every day. Let mejust say at this point that it is the Holy Spirit's role to point us to JesusChrist. John 15:26. Even a glimpse of our Savior is worth it. Zaccheus wanted tosee Jesus. His zeal to listen to his hurting heart in his love for Jesus gothim a front row seat to actually have lunch with the Son of Man. After his zealand intimacy with Jesus he just wanted to repent and get right with God andhis fellow men. In other words there was room for only one thing after his zealand intimacy with Jesus and that was getting right with God. Zaccheus found atreasure in the midst of all his sin in the person of Jesus Christ. "For I ammeek and lowly in heart. Jesus is king of kings and Lord of Lords,Rev.19:16;however,the Bible says His heart is meek and lowly. Matt.11:29. This tells meI can go to Jesus and talk to him. I believe this is hard for the averageChristian to discover and to take this a little further I do not believe it comesnatural to the child of God. Just read the Gospels of Matthew,Mark,Luke andJohn. Jesus Christ had a very open spirit even to his enemies and He was veryapproachable. I know there is a theology that when Jesus walked the earth theJewish people rejected Him but I want you to think about something. As I readthe accounts, only a handful of high-powered Jewish Pharisees hated him becausethey felt threatened. The average Jewish people flocked around him. When Jesuswalked into a town he never had to drum up a crowd. People were justnaturally attracted to Him because they never heard anyone speak with such authorityyet with meekness. As children of the living God our reward is knowing JesusChrist. After all if somebody is meek and lowly don't you want to get to knowthem? I know I am just a little curious as to who this person is. I was once ata mini Bible conference and the speaker was good but I was even more impressedwith his character. He was meek and lowly with a soft spoken voice. When heanswered a question it was always in a soft spoken respectful manner. He putyou first. So our family and friend were gathered around him and you could justsee one person just prodding the other person "are you going to ask him aquestion? You can go, I have already asked my question. What I am trying to say iswe all wanted to be around him-why? Because he knew the Bible and he was meekand lowly in his heart. Can you imagine being around Jesus? " And ye shallfind rest unto your souls".If we love Jesus and we are not close to him I thinkthere is a sense of fear and anxiety and we cannot always put our finger onit. Jesus did not say you might find rest for your souls, He said you will findrest for your souls. Why? Because Jesus's yoke is light. Learning of him isreassuring. Recognizing and realizing that Jesus is meek and lowly will alwaysleave you resting in your compassionate Savior. He loves us and wants to showus. He wants to comfort us with His gentleness. Anytime we have true fellowshipwith God or our brothers and sisters we will always have to meet in a placecalled gentleness. I am talking about true genuine authentic fellowship. Ifpeople want to conduct themselves in a tough way and set other people straightthere can be a mental understanding and maybe emotional fear but we cannot meetthere for true Godly fellowship. This is why Jesus wants us to understand thathe is meek and lowly of heart. This is where he wants to make His connectionwith us. If we see He is meek we are going to be meek. Did you ever notice achild that loves His Father wants to be like him? The meek shall eat and besatisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: Your heart shall liveforever. Psalm 22:26.

Of course if anybody loves God they ought to allow the Holy Spirit tospeak to him through the Bible. If God sees we have a sincere heart (open tohim), His love will become manifested in our hearts.(John14:2).God's love iscomforting. The fellowship of the Spirit is bond-like. We will start to becomemore merciful towards others.(Phil2:1). We will be able to walk in love and Godwill see this as a sweet smelling savor (Eph5:2). We will understand thatthere is no darkness in God because He is the light of the world.1John1:5.

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Did you ever notice thatwe have such heavy burdens in life that are just so much bigger than us?Jesus says that He is our Father and He is available to take our burdens as we gothrough our problems. The weight of the world is heavy. The compassion of ourloving Savior is light because he wants to commune with us. The answer to ourproblems in this world is through the warmth of our loving Savior, JesusChrist. Give yourself a chance. Allow the Holy Spirit to open your heart to theperson of Jesus Christ. We can pursue no higher purpose than this.